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= THE GLASS FACTORY. =
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¶£===~¨¨¨¨ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ¨¨¨¨~===£¶
£===~¨¨¨¨¨ BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ¨¨¨¨¨~===£
===~¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ¨¨¨¨¨¨~===
==~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~==
=~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~=
~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~
=~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~=
==~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~==
===~¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND A GIFT SHOP. ¨¨¨¨¨¨~===
£===~¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨~===£
¶£===~¨¨¨¨ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ¨¨¨¨~===£¶
#¶£===~¨¨¨ MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ¨¨¨~===£¶#
##¶£===~¨¨ CONSIDERED POOR. ¨¨~===£¶##
###¶£===~¨ ¨~===£¶###
##¶£===~¨¨ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ¨¨~===£¶##
#¶£===~¨¨¨ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ¨¨¨~===£¶#
¶£===~¨¨¨¨ YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ¨¨¨¨~===£¶
£===~¨¨¨¨¨ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ¨¨¨¨¨~===£
===~¨¨¨¨¨¨ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ¨¨¨¨¨¨~===
==~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~==
=~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~=
~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SOME ARE SHATTERED. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~
=~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~=
==~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~==
===~¨¨¨¨¨¨ A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ¨¨¨¨¨¨~===
£===~¨¨¨¨¨ GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ¨¨¨¨¨~===£
¶£===~¨¨¨¨ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ¨¨¨¨~===£¶
#¶£===~¨¨¨ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ¨¨¨~===£¶#
##¶£===~¨¨ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ¨¨~===£¶##
###¶£===~¨ ¨~===£¶###
##¶£===~¨¨ == ¨¨~===£¶##
#¶£===~¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨~===£¶#
¶£===~¨¨¨¨ ======= = = ======= ¨¨¨¨~===£¶
£===~¨¨¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨¨¨~===£
===~¨¨¨¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨¨¨¨~===
==~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~==
=~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~=
~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~
=~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~=
==~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~==
===~¨¨¨¨¨¨ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ¨¨¨¨¨¨~===
£===~¨¨¨¨¨ DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ¨¨¨¨¨~===£
¶£===~¨¨¨¨ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ¨¨¨¨~===£¶
#¶£===~¨¨¨ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ¨¨¨~===£¶#
##¶£===~¨¨ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ¨¨~===£¶##
###¶£===~¨ ¨~===£¶###
##¶£===~¨¨ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ¨¨~===£¶##
#¶£===~¨¨¨ HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ¨¨¨~===£¶#
¶£===~¨¨¨¨ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ¨¨¨¨~===£¶
£===~¨¨¨¨¨ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ¨¨¨¨¨~===£
===~¨¨¨¨¨¨ IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ¨¨¨¨¨¨~===
==~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~==
=~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~=
~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~
=~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~=
==~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~==
===~¨¨¨¨¨¨ LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ¨¨¨¨¨¨~===
£===~¨¨¨¨¨ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ¨¨¨¨¨~===£
¶£===~¨¨¨¨ A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ¨¨¨¨~===£¶
#¶£===~¨¨¨ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ¨¨¨~===£¶#
##¶£===~¨¨ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ¨¨~===£¶##
###¶£===~¨ ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ¨~===£¶###
##¶£===~¨¨ LIT FROM BEHIND. ¨¨~===£¶##
#¶£===~¨¨¨ ¨¨¨~===£¶#
¶£===~¨¨¨¨ I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ¨¨¨¨~===£¶
£===~¨¨¨¨¨ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ¨¨¨¨¨~===£
===~¨¨¨¨¨¨ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ¨¨¨¨¨¨~===
==~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~==
=~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~=
~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~
=~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~=
==~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~==
===~¨¨¨¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨¨¨¨~===
£===~¨¨¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨¨¨~===£
¶£===~¨¨¨¨ ======= = = ======= ¨¨¨¨~===£¶
#¶£===~¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨~===£¶#
##¶£===~¨¨ == ¨¨~===£¶##
###¶£===~¨ ¨~===£¶###
##¶£===~¨¨ MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ¨¨~===£¶##
#¶£===~¨¨¨ STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ¨¨¨~===£¶#
¶£===~¨¨¨¨ IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ¨¨¨¨~===£¶
£===~¨¨¨¨¨ IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ¨¨¨¨¨~===£
===~¨¨¨¨¨¨ IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ¨¨¨¨¨¨~===
==~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~==
=~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~=
~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~
=~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~=
==~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~==
===~¨¨¨¨¨¨ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ¨¨¨¨¨¨~===
£===~¨¨¨¨¨ THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ¨¨¨¨¨~===£
¶£===~¨¨¨¨ THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ¨¨¨¨~===£¶
#¶£===~¨¨¨ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ¨¨¨~===£¶#
##¶£===~¨¨ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ¨¨~===£¶##
###¶£===~¨ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ¨~===£¶###
##¶£===~¨¨ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ¨¨~===£¶##
#¶£===~¨¨¨ THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ¨¨¨~===£¶#
¶£===~¨¨¨¨ IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ¨¨¨¨~===£¶
£===~¨¨¨¨¨ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ¨¨¨¨¨~===£
===~¨¨¨¨¨¨ ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ¨¨¨¨¨¨~===
==~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~==
=~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~=
~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~
=~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~=
==~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~==
===~¨¨¨¨¨¨ FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ¨¨¨¨¨¨~===
£===~¨¨¨¨¨ BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ¨¨¨¨¨~===£
¶£===~¨¨¨¨ DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ¨¨¨¨~===£¶
#¶£===~¨¨¨ TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ¨¨¨~===£¶#
##¶£===~¨¨ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ¨¨~===£¶##
###¶£===~¨ FLOOR. ¨~===£¶###
##¶£===~¨¨ ¨¨~===£¶##
#¶£===~¨¨¨ HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ¨¨¨~===£¶#
¶£===~¨¨¨¨ KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ¨¨¨¨~===£¶
£===~¨¨¨¨¨ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ¨¨¨¨¨~===£
===~¨¨¨¨¨¨ WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ¨¨¨¨¨¨~===
==~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~==
=~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~=
~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~
=~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~=
==~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~==
===~¨¨¨¨¨¨ WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ¨¨¨¨¨¨~===
£===~¨¨¨¨¨ MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ¨¨¨¨¨~===£
¶£===~¨¨¨¨ WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ¨¨¨¨~===£¶
#¶£===~¨¨¨ THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ¨¨¨~===£¶#
##¶£===~¨¨ VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ¨¨~===£¶##
###¶£===~¨ BECOME STILL. ¨~===£¶###
##¶£===~¨¨ ¨¨~===£¶##
#¶£===~¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨~===£¶#
¶£===~¨¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨¨~===£¶
£===~¨¨¨¨¨ ======= = = ======= ¨¨¨¨¨~===£
===~¨¨¨¨¨¨ == == ¨¨¨¨¨¨~===
==~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ == ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~==
=~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~=
~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~
=~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~=
==~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~==
===~¨¨¨¨¨¨ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ¨¨¨¨¨¨~===
£===~¨¨¨¨¨ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ¨¨¨¨¨~===£
¶£===~¨¨¨¨ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ¨¨¨¨~===£¶
#¶£===~¨¨¨ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ¨¨¨~===£¶#
##¶£===~¨¨ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ¨¨~===£¶##
###¶£===~¨ ¨~===£¶###
##¶£===~¨¨ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ¨¨~===£¶##
#¶£===~¨¨¨ THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ¨¨¨~===£¶#
¶£===~¨¨¨¨ GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ¨¨¨¨~===£¶
£===~¨¨¨¨¨ I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ¨¨¨¨¨~===£
===~¨¨¨¨¨¨ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ¨¨¨¨¨¨~===
==~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~==
=~¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨~=
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